RUTGERS EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS SEMINAR

sponsored by the

Rutgers University
Department of Mathematics

and the

Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS)

Founded 2003 by Drew Sills and Doron Zeilberger.

Former co-organizers: Drew Sills (2003-2007), Moa ApaGodu (2005-2006), Lara Pudwell (2006-2008), Andrew Baxter (2008-2011), Brian Nakamura (2011-2013), Edinah Gnang (2011-2013), Matthew Russell (2013-2016), Nathan Fox (2016-2017), Bryan Ek (2017-2018), Mingjia Yang (2018-2020), Yonah Biers-Ariel (2018-2020), Robert Dougherty-Bliss (2020-2024), Stoyan Dimitrov (2023-2025)

Current co-organizers:
Doron Zeilberger (doronzeil {at} gmail [dot] com)
Aurora Hiveley (aurora.hiveley {at} scarletmail [dot] rutgers [dot] edu)
Lucy Martinez (lm1154 {at} scarletmail [dot] rutgers [dot] edu)

Archive of Previous Speakers and Talks You can find links to videos of some of these talks as well. Currently, our videos are being posted to our Vimeo page. Previously, we had videos posted on our YouTube page.


If you would like to be added to the weekly mailing list, email Lucy Martinez: lm1154 {at} scarletmail [dot] rutgers [dot] edu


Forthcoming Talks

Date: Thu., March 19, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time)

NO TALK (SPRING BREAK)


Date: Thu., March 26, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time)

NO TALK


Date: Thu., April 2, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

Speaker: Victor Miller, Anduril Industries

Title: Summing a challenging series

Abstract: On the math-fun list, Neil Sloane posed the following problem: Let V(n) denote the integer formed by using the base 10 digits of n in base 11. It is classical that the series sum_n 1/V(n) converges. It is challenging to calculate a good approximation to its value. As a second, related, problem find a good approximation to the subseries sum_p 1/V(p), where the sum is over primes. It turned out that the first problem was efficiently solved by two related methods described by Robert Baillie and Jean-Francois Burnol. However, they do not appear to apply to the second sum, since they both depend, implicitly, on the fact that the language of digits in the first problem is a regular language, and a recent result of Thomas Dubbe shows, in a technical sense, that the digits of primes are poorly approximated by a regular language. In this talk I'll describe attempts at approximating the value of the second sum. They involve fractals, Fourier series, the prime zeta function, and the Karamata inequality. The process of analyzing this was helped, considerably, by experimentation, and seeing structure in graphs of quantities related to the series.


Date: Thu., April 9, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

Speaker: tbd

Title: tbd

Abstract: tbd


Date: Thu., April 16, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

Speaker: tbd

Title: tbd

Abstract: tbd


Date: Thu., April 23, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

Speaker: Alex Kontorovich, Rutgers University

Title: Use of Computers in Mathematical Research

Abstract: We'll discuss new uses of technology, including Lean and AI, to aid the research mathematician


Date: Thu., April 30, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

Speaker: tbd

Title: tbd

Abstract: tbd


Date: Thu., May 7, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

Speaker: Sergei Suslov, Arizona State University

Title: tbd

Abstract: tbd